Two-step tucking device for knitting machines



March 13, 1951 J. N.. GILBREATH 2,544,829

; 'lfWO-STEP TUCKING DEVICE FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Feb. 8, 1949 4Sheets-Sheet "1 Fig. /2.

I 11 l'entor John N. Gi/flrearh March 13, 1951 J. N. GILBREATH 2,544,829

TWO-STEP TUCKING DEVICE FOR KNITTING MACHINES 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 FiledFeb. 8, 1949 v "/X/ji/ Inventor John N. (ii/brew!) March 13, 1951 J. N.GILBREATH 2,544,829

TWO-STEP TUCKING DEVICE FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Feb. 8, 1949 4Sheets-Sheet 3 Inventor John N. Gi/brea/h TWO-STEP TUCKING DEVICE FORKNITTING MACHINES Filed Feb. 8, 1949 March 13, 1951 -J. N. GILBREATH 4Sheets-Sheet 4 Fig. /6.

Inventor John N. Gilbreafh Patented Mar. 13, 1951 TWO-STEP TUCKINGDEVICE FOR KNITTING MACHINES John N. Gilbreath, Summerville, Ga.,assignor of one-half to Albert L. Gilbreath, Summerville,

Application February 8, 1949, Serial No. 75,114

14 Claims.

This invention relates to a two-step tucking device for a knittingmachine and has for its primary object to control the knitting needlesso that one group of needles may be made to hold loops or stitches whiletwo other groups of needles are knitting in a conventional manner.

Another object is automatically to select the group of needles to beused for tucking so that different patterns may be produced in theknitted goods.

A further object is to enable the patterns automatically produced to bevaried according to the desires of the user.

The above and other objects may be attained by employing this inventionwhich embodies among its features a needle bank containing a group ofshort latch long butt needles, a group of long latch long butt needles,and a group of short butt short latch needles, means selectively tothrow out of operation the group of long latch long butt needles, or thegroup of short butt short latch needles, and means to select the groupof needles to be thrown out of operation, said last named means beingconnected to the machine drive, automatically to regulate the tuckingoperation.

Other features include a cam member mounted adjacent the needle bank tomove transversely of the needles, said cam member having a cam groovetherein for receiving needle butts and actuating said needles as the cammember moves, means for moving said cam member, a pairof superposed camplates mounted in the cam member to move parallel to the needles, a camface on one edge of each cam plate for projection into the cam grooveand engagement with the needle butts, and means carried by the cammember and engaging said cam plates to move said cam plates and projector retract the cam faces thereof into and out of the cam groove.

Still other features include means carried by the machine and connectedwith the cam member moving means periodically to advance the last-namedmeans into the path of movement of the cam plate moving means to alterthe positions of the cam plates in timed relation with the operation ofthe knitting machine.

Still further features include a timing chain operating in unison withthe drive of the knitting machine, lugs on the chain, and means actuatedby a lug as the latter is moved by the chain,

and connected to the cam plates for altering In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side view of a conventional knitting machineshowing portions thereof broken away to illustrate this attachment inuse thereon;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary top plan view on a somewhat enlarged scale ofa portion of the knitting machine showing this attachment in placethereon;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken substantiallyalong the line 3--3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view taken substantiallyalong the line 4-4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view on an enlarged scale of a fragmentof' the needle bank and the needle actuating cam showing this improvedattachment thereon in needle moving position;

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5 illustrating the needles inanother position;

Figure '7 is a view similar to Figures 5 and'6 showing the needles instill a different position;

Figure 8 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken substantiallyalong the line 8-8 of Figure 3; i

Figure 9 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along theline 9--9 of Figure 1;

Figure 10 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view taken substantiallyalong the line l0--l0 of Figure 1;

Figure 11 is a fragmentary side view of the pattern control chain;

Figure 12 is a plan view of one of the chain links illustrated in Figure11;

Figure 13 is a perspective view of the cam plate actuating element;

Figure 14 is a perspective view of the fingers employed for rotating thecam plate operating means;

Figure 15 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along theline l5-l5 of Figure 6 showing the positions of the cam plates whilener;

Figure 16 is a view similar to Figure 15 and taken substantially alongthe line l6-l6 of Figure 5; e

Figure 1''! is a view similar to Figures 5 and 6 taken substantiallyalong the line ll-H of Figure 7;

Figure 18 is a view illustrating the long butt long latch needle, thelong butt short latch needle, and the short butt short latch needle of 3the type making up the groups of needles employed in carrying thisinvention into practice, and

Figure 19 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the various positionstaken by the cam plate actuating member.

Figure 20 is a perspective view of the vertical slide member which isactuated by the chaincarried cams.

Referring to the drawings in detail, a conven tional circular knittingmachine to which this invention may be applied is designated generally land comprises a supporting frame having legs H and i2 on which issupported a conventional knitting table l3 carrying a conventionalneedle bank M which, in the present instance, embodies a cylinder havingconventional longitudinally extending needle guiding grooves therein.The machine is also equipped with a conventional revolving cam whichrevolves about the cylinder I4 near the lower end thereof, and is drivenin a conventional manner through the medium of a conventional speedreduction gearing 6 to which a suitable source of power, such as drivepulleys [l are coupled in a conventional mannerfor driving the driveshaft l8 thereof. In addition to the conventional drive mechanism forthe cam member i5, the speed reduction gear train is equipped with apower transmitting shaft i9 carrying adjacent one end an eccentric whichis equipped with a conventional eccentric strap 2| to which is connecteda downwardly extending spring arm 22 carrying adjacent its lower end anoutwardly extending ratchet dog 23, the purpose of which will be morefully hereinafter described. A suitable spring arm 24 is carried by theleg [2 and bears against the ratchet dog as will be readily understoodupon reference to Figure 9.

Mounted for rotation in a suitable bearing 25 carried by the leg 12 is ahorizontal shaft 26 carrying adjacent one end a toothed ratchet wheel2'! which operates through an arc which aligns with the arm 22 so thatas the eccentric 23 rotates, the ratchet dog 23 will engage the teeth ofthe ratchet wheel 27 to rotate the shaft 26 in one direction. A suitablesprocket 28 is carried by the shaft 26, and trained over said sprocketis a timing chain designated generally 29 which is composed ofindividual links 3B, 31 and 32. The links carry no lugs, but the links3| are equipped with outwardly extending cams or cam lugs 33 while thelinks 32 are equipped with outwardly extending cams or cam lugs 34. Thelugs 34 are substantially one-half of the height of the lugs 33, andeach link is provided with an attaching hook 35 which detachablyconneots it to the next adjacent link. It will thus be seen that anydesired arrangement of high lugs and low lugs, as well as links withoutlugs, may be constructed merely by unhooking a link from its nextadjacent link and substituting another therefor. In this way the patternchain may be altered to produce the desired pattern in the product ofthe machine.

Mounted on the table [3 is a slide box designated generally 36, one endof which extends beyond the edge of the table, and has slidably mountedtherein a vertical slide member designated generally 31 which comprisesa slide plate 38 having adjacent opposite marginal edges longitudinallyextending spaced parallel flanges 39 and 40. The flange 39 is providedat one end with an inclined face 4| which merges into an inclined face42 formed onthe adjacent end of the plate 38, and formed on the end ofthe flange 64 are mounted to slide.

40 which lies nearest to the inclined face 42 is an inclined face 43.The lower end of the plate 38 lies in the path of movement of the cams33 and 34, so that as the chain 29 is moved, the slide member 31 will bealternately raised and lowered, and the length or its stroke will begoverned by the cams 33 and 34. Mounted for horizontal sliding movementin slots M and 45 of the slide box 36 are horizontal slides 46 and 41,respectively, carrying at their rear ends inclined faces 43 and 49,respectively, which are engaged by the inclined faces 4| and 43,respectively, when the slide members are to be projected. A retractilecoil spring 50 is connected at one end to the slide box 36, and at itsopposite end to the slide 46 while a similar coil spring 5! is connectedto the box 33 and to the slide 47. These springs 50 and 5! yieldinglyhold the slide members 46 and 47 retracted as will be readily understoodupon reference to Figure 2. A finger 56 projects longitudinally from theend of the slide member 46 remote from the inclined face 48, and asimilar finger 5'! projects longitudinally from the end of the slidemember 41 remote from the inclined face 43 thereof. These fingers 53 and51 extend in the direction of the needle bank l4, and are projectedagainst the effort of the springs 33 and 51 by the engagement of thebevel faces el and 43 of the vertical slide member 37. The plate 38 ismounted adjacent its lower end to slide through an opening 58 in asuitable guide bracket 59 car'- ried by the table l3.

Formed in the cam member [5 and extending transversely therethroughperpendicular to the path of movement of the needles is an opening 60 inwhich a shaft BI is mounted to rotate. The cam member i5 is alsoprovided with a conven-' tional cam groove in which the needle butts arereceived, and opening into the cam groove adjacent the needle bank I4 isa recess 62 in which a pair of relatively thin superposed plates 63 andThese cam plates are provided respectively at their upper edges with camfaces 65 and 86 which are adapted to be projected upwardly into the camgroove to alter the positions of the needles as the cam member movesrelative to the needle bank 14. The plates 63 and 64 are provided withopenings 6? and 68, respectively, for thereception of cams 69' and 10which are carried by the end of the shaft 6| nearest the needle bank.The earns 69 and 70 are of a thickness substantially equal to thethickness of the plates 63 and 64, and the openings 67, and 68 are ofsuch a shape that as the cams are rotated about the axis of the shaftHi, the plates will be shifted vertically in the recess 62 into thevarious positions illustrated in Figures 15, 16 and 17. Carried on theshaft 61, and on the exterior of the cam member [5 is a shaft actuatingmember designated generally I l which carries at one end a; disk 12which is provided in its face adjacent the cam member IS with an annularrow of recesses 13 for the reception of a spring-pressed pin 74 carriedby. the cam member which cooperates with the walls of the recesses 13'tooifer resistance to rotation of the shaft 6|. Extending radially fromthe member H at the end thereof remote from the flange T2 are arms l5,16, TI and 18 which move horizontally with the movement of the cammember 15.

Mounted in the needle bank for vertical sliding movement therein areseparate groups of needles, one of which is composed of a number of longbutt long latch needles [9, a second group of needles composed of longbutt short latch needles 88, and a third group of needles composed ofshort butt short latch needles 8|.

As illustrated in Figure 18 each needle 19 is provided with a long butt82 and a long latch 83, while each needle 88 is provided with a longbutt 84 and a conventional short latch 85. The needles 8| are eachprovided with a short butt 86 and a conventional short latch 87, and thebutts 82, 84 and 88 ride in the cam groove in the cam member I5 whilethe needles ride in conventional needle guiding grooves 88 formed in theneedle bank Id. In addition to the cam plates 63 and 64 carried by thecam member IS, the cam member is provided in the cam groove with a longbutt needle elevating cam 89 which is positioned adjacent the recess 82in the cam member, and is of such a thickness that the short buttneedles 8| will pass by this cam 89 without being elevated into anoperative position. As the cam member I? advances with the cams 69 andT8 in the position illustrated in Figure the short butts 88 of theneedles 8i escape the cam 89 but are engaged by the cam face 65 and areelevated as illustrated in Figure 15 so that all of the needles will beknitting in a conventional manner. When in this position it will benoted also that the butts 82 of the long latch needles 79 are engaged bythe cam face 66 so as to cause the needles 19 to be elevated the properdistance to receive the stitch, so that all of the needles will beknitting. Upon shifting the cams 69 and 18 into the position illustratedin Figure 16, the butts 8B of the short butt needles 8| will be elevatedinto knitting position, but the butts 82 of the long latch needles 19will not lift their respective needles beyond the point at which theirrespective latches 83 open, and consequently these needles will notperform the knitting operation and a tucking of the product will result.Upon turning the cams 69 and 70 into the position illustrated in Figure17, the plate 7 64 is elevated while the plate 53 is lowered with theresult that the cam face 55 lies below a level that will cause the shortbutt needles 8| to be elevated, while the long butt needles will beraised to a point where both groups thereof will perform the knittingoperation. Inasmuch as when the parts are in the position illustrated inFigure 1'7, the short butt needles are not elevated into knittingposition, it will be evident that a tucking of the product of themachine will result. From the foregoing it will be obvious that whilethe long butt short latch needles 88 will at all times be moved intoknitting position, the long butt long latch needles "E9, or the shortbutt short latch needles 8| may selectively be thrown out of knittingposition so that a selection of tucks may be produced in the product ofthe machine.

In order automatically to govern the operation of the needles and throwone or the other group out of operation automatically, the chain 29 isequipped with links having lugs of the desired height or heights thereonso that as the chain is moved, a lug will engage the lower end of theslide member 38 to move said member upwardly and cause the cam face 5|to encounter the cam face 48 on the slide member 48 so as to projectsaid slide member against the effort of the spring 50, and move thefinger 56 thereof into the path of movement of one of the arms l5, 18, Hor 18. With the finger 58 projected, it will be evident upon referenceto Figure 19 that the arm 16 will be encountered by the finger 58 duringits movement with the cam member i5, 50 that asthecam member moves inthe direction of the ar-.-

- shaft 6| and altering the position of the earns 69 and I8. In eventthat the slide member 31 moves upwardly to cause the cam face 43 thereofto engage the cam face 49 of the slide member 41, it will be evidentthat the finger 51 will be projected as illustrated in position B ofFigure 19 so that continued movement of the cam member l5 will bring thearm 16 into engagement with the finger 51, with the result that by thetime the cam member moves to bring the parts in the position 0 of Figure19, the cam shaft 6| will hav made a one-half turn, thus completelyreversing the position of the cam plates 63 and 64. Should it be desiredto rotate the shaft only a quarter turn, a lower lug 34 is employed, sothat only the finger 55 will be projected, and in this way automaticselection of the needle group to be employed may be achieved. Obviously,the engagement of the spring-pressed pin 14 in the recesses l3 willserve to prevent the shaft 6| from moving until positive rotatingpressure is applied thereto, and hence accidental change of the positionof the cams 69 and 18 may be prevented.

While in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferredembodiment of this invention itisto be understood thatminor changes inthe details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts may beresorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the inventionas claimed.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In: a knitting machine of the type having a needle bank, short buttneedles having regular latches, long butt needles having long latchesand long butt needles having regular latches, all said needles beingmounted in said needle bank to move in spaced parallel paths, a cammember mounted adjacent the needle bank to move transversely of theneedlesfsaicl cam member having a cam groove therein for receiving theneedle butts and actuating Said needles as the cam moves, and means formoving said cam member, means to produce tuck stitches in the product ofthe machine while the product is in 'the process of manufacture, saidmeans comprising a pair of superposed cam plates mounted in the cammember to move parallel to the needles, a cam face on one edge of eachcam plate for projec.-ion into the cam groove and engagement with theneedle butts, a shaft mounted in the cam member to rotate about an axiswhich lies perpendicular to the paths of movement of the cam plates,cams on the shaft engaging the cam plates to project or retract the camfaces thereof into and out of the cam groove and means on the shaftadjacent the cam member for rotating said shaft and moving the camlates.

2. In a knitting machine of the type having a needle bank, short buttneedles having regular latches, long butt needles having .long latchesand long butt needles having regular latches, all said needles beingmounted in said needle ban to move in spaced parallel paths, a cammember mounted adjacent the needle bank to move transversely of theneedles, said cam member having a cam groove therein for receiving theneedle butts and actuating said needles as the cam moves, and means formoving said cam member,- means-to produce tuck stitches in the productof'the machine while the product isin the process; of manufacture, saidmeans comprising a pair of superposed cam plates mounted in the, cam;

member to move parallel to the needles, a cam face on one edge of eachcam plate for projection into the cam "groove and engagement withtheneedle butts, a shaft mounted in the cam member to rotate about an axiswhich lies perpendicular to the paths of movement of the cam plates,cams on the shaft engaging the cam plates to project or retract the camfaces thereof into and out of the cam grooves, means on the shaftadjacent the cam member for rotating said shaft and moving the camplates, and means mounted on the machine adjacent the cam member forengaging the shaft rotating means and rotating the shaft as it moveswith the cam member:

3. In a knitting machine of the type having a needle bank, short buttneedles having regular latches, long butt needles having long latchesand long butt needles having regular latches;all said needles beingmounted in said needle'banlr to move in spaced parallel paths, a cammember mounted adjacent the needle bank to move transversely of theneedles, said cam member havin a cam groove therein for receiving theneedle butts and actuating said needles as the cam moves, and means formoving said cam member, means to produce tuck stitches in the product ofthe machine While the product is in the process of manufacture, saidmeans comprising a pair of superposed cam plates mounted in the cammember to move parallel to the needles, a cam face on one edge of eachcam plate for projection into the cam groove and engagement with theneedle butts, a shaft mounted in the cam member to mate about an axiswhich lies perpendicular to the paths of movement of the cam plates,cams on the shaft engaging th cam plates to project or retract the camfaces thereof into and out of the cam grooves, means on the shaftadjacent the cam member for rotating said shaft and moving the camplates, means mounted on the machine adjacent the cam member forengaging the shaft rotating means and rotaLing the shaft as it moveswith the cam member, yielding means carried by the machine to retractthe last named means out of the path of movement of the shaft rotatingmeans, and means carried by the machine adjacent the cam member andcoupled to the cam member cperating means periodically to advance thelast-named means against the eifort of the retracting means in timedrelation to the movement of the cam member.

4. In a knitting machine of the type having a needle bank, short buttneedles having'regular latches, long butt needles having long latchesand long butt needles having regular latches, all said needles beingmounted in said needle bank to move in spaced parallel paths, a cammember mounted adjacent the needle bank to move transversely of theneedles, said cam member having a cam groove therein for receiving theneedle butts and actuating said needles as the cam moves, and means formoving said cam member, means to produce tuck stitches in the product ofthe machine while the product is in the process of manufacture, saidmeans comprising a pair of superposed cam plates mounted in the cammember to move parallel to the needles, a cam face on one edge of eachcam plate for projection in.o the cam groove and engagement with theneedle butts, a shaft mounted in the cam member torotate about an axiswhich lies per- Cir pendicular to the paths of movement of the oathplates, cams on the shaft engaging the cam plates to project or retractthe cam faces thereof into and out of the cam groove, means on the shaftadjacent the cam member for rotating said shaftand moving the camplates, and stop fingers mounted on the machine adjacent the cam mem--her for engaging the shaft rotating means and rotating the shaft as itmoves with the cammember.

5. In a knitting machine of the type having needle bank, short buttneedles having regular,

mounted adjacent the needle bank to move transversely of the needles,said cam member having a cam groove therein for receiving th needle}butts and actuating said needles as the cammoves, and means for movingsaid cam member;

means to produce tuck stitches in the product of the machine while theproduct is in the process of manufacture, said means comprising a pair 7of superposed cam pla.es mounted in the cammember to move parallel tothe needles,'a cam fac on one edge of each cam plate for projection intothe cam groove and engagement with" the needle butts, a shaft mounted inthe cam; member to rotate about an aXis which lies per-, pendicular tothe paths of movement of the earn plates, cams on the shaft engaging thecam platesto project or retract the cam faces thereof into and out ofthe cam groove, means on the shaft adjacent the cam member for rotatingsaid shaft and moving the cam plates, and stop fingers mounted on themachine for movement adj acent the cam member into and out of the pathofmovement of the shaft rotating means as the latter moves with thecam-member for engaging said shaft rotaing means and rotating the shaft:to alter the positions of the cam plates. I

6. In a knitting machine of the type having a needle bank, short buttneedles having regular latches, long butt needles having long latchesand long butt needles having regular latches, all said needles beingmounted in said needle banlc to move in spaced parallel paths, a cammember mounted adjacent the needle bank to move trans versely of theneedles, said cam member having a cam groove therein for receiving theneedle butts and actuating said needles as the cam moves, and means formoving said cammember, means to produce tuck stitches in the product ofthe machine while the product is in the process of manufacture, saidmeans comprising a pair of superposed cam plates mounted in the cam memher to move parallel to the needles, a cam face, on one edge of each camplate for projection into the cam groove and engagement with the needlebutts, a shaft mourned in the cam member to rotate about an axis whichlies perpendicular to the paths of movement of the cam plates, cams 'onthe shaft engaging the cam plates to project or retract the cam facesthereof into and out of the cam groove, means on the shaft adjacent thecam member for rotating said shaft and moving the cam plates, stopfingers mounted on the machine for movement adjacent the cam member intoand out of the path of movement of the shaft rotating means as thelattermoves with the cam member for engaging said shaft ma ing means androtating the shaft to al.er the positions of the cam plates, yieldingmeans car-,- ried by the machine and. connected to the stop fingers tohold said fingers out of the path of movement of the shaft rotatingmeans, and means carried by the machine and operated by the cam membermoving means periodically to advanc the yielding means into the path ofmovement of the shaft rotating means to rotate said shaft and alter thepositions of the cam plates.

7. In a circular knitting machine of the type having a circular needlebank, short butt needles having regular latches, long butt needleshaving long latches and long butt needles having regular latches, allsaid needles being mounted in said needle bank to 'move longimdinallythereof in circumferentially spaced parallel paths, a circular cammember encircling said needle bank and movable in a circular pathtransversely of the needles, said cam member having a cam groove thereinfor receiving the needle butts and moving said needles as the cam memberrevolves about the needle bank and means to revolve said cam member,means to produce tuck stitches in the product of the machine while theproduct is in the process of manufacture, said means comprising a pairof superposed cam plates mounted in the cam member to move parallel tothe needles, a cam face on one edge of each cam plate for projectioninto the cam groove and engagement with the needle butts, a shaftmounted in the cam member to rotate about an axis which liesperpendicular to the direction of movement of the cam plates, cams onthe shaft engaging the cam plates to alter the positions thereof whenthe shaft is rotated and means on the shaft adjacent the cam member torotate th shaft.

8. In a circular knitting machine of the type having a circular needlebank, short butt needles having regular latches, long butt needleshaving long latches and long'butt needles having regular latches, allsaid needles being mounted in said needle bank to move longitudinallythereof in circumferentially spaced parallel paths, a circular cammember encircling said needle bank and movable in a circular pathtransversely of the needles, said cam member having a cam groove thereinfor receiving the needle butts and moving said needles as the cam memberrevolves about the needle bank and means to revolve said cam member,means to produce tuck stitches in the product of the machine while theproduct is in the process of manufacture, said means comprising a pairof superposed cam plates mounted in the cam member to move parallel tothe needles, a cam face on one edge of each cam plate for projectioninto the cam groove and engagement with the needle butts, a shaftmounted in the cam member to rotate about an axis which liesperpendicular to the direction of movement of the cam plates, cams onthe shaft engaging the cam plates to alter the positions thereof whenthe shaft is rotated, means on the shaft adjacent the cam member torotate the shaft, and means mounted on the machine adjacent the cammember to engage the shaft rotating means and rotate the shaft as itrevolves with the cam member to alter the positions of the cam plates.

9. In a circular knitting machine of the type having a circular needlebank, short butt needles having regular latches, long butt needleshaving long latches and long butt needles having regular latches, allsaid needles being mounted in said needle bank to move longitudinallythereof and movablein a circular path transversely of the needles, saidcam member having a cam groove therein'forreceiving the needle butts andmoving said needles as the cam member revolves about the needle bank andmeans to revolve said cam member, means to produce tuck stitches in theproduct of the machine while the product is in the process ofmanufacture, said means comprising a pair of superposed cam platesmounted in the cam member to move parallel to the needles, a cam face onone edge of each cam plate for projection into the cam groove'andengagement with the needle butts, a shaft mounted in the cam memberto'roiate about an aXis which lies perpendicular to the direction ofmovement of the cam' plates, cams on the shaft engaging the cam platesto alter the positions thereof when the shaft is rotated, means on theshaft adjacent the cam member to rotate the shaft; and means mounted onthe machine adjacent the cam member to move'into' and out of the path ofmovement of the shaft rotating means to rotate said shaft rotating meansand'alter the positions of the cam plates;

10. In a circular knitting machine of the type having a circular needlebank, short butt needles having regular latches, long butt needleshaving long latches and long butt needles having regular latches, allsaidneedles being mounted in said needle bank to'move longitudinallythereof in circumferentially spaced parallel paths, 2. circular cammember encircling'said needl bank and movable in a circularpath'transversely of the needles, said cam member having a" earn groovetherein for receiving the needle butts and moving said needles 'as'thecam member revolves about the needle ba'nk andmeans to revolvesai'd cammember, means to 'producetuck stitches in the productof the machinewhile the product is in the process of -manufacture, said meanscomprising a pair of superposed cam plates mounted in the cam member tomove parallel to the needles, a cam face on one edge of each'cam platefor projection into the cam groove and engagement with the needle butts,a shaft mounted in the cam member to rotate about an axis which liesperpendicular to the direction of movement of the cam plates, cams onthe shaft engaging ried by the machine and connected to the last-.

named means to hold said means out of the path of movement ofrtheshaftrotating means, and means carried-by thema'chine and driven by the cam'member revolving means periodically to -move the said last-named meansinto thepath of movement of the shaft rotating means as the laterrevolves with the cam member, thereby to alter the positions of the camplates. i

11. In a circular knitting machine of the type having a circular needlebank, short butt needles having regular latches, long butt needleshaving long latches and long butt needles having regular latches, allsaid needles being mounted in said needle bank to move longitudinallythereof in circumferentially spaced parallel paths, a aircular cammember encircling said needle bank and movable in a circular pathtransversely of the needles, said cam member having a cam groove thereinfor receiving the needle butts and moving said needles as the'carnmember revolves about the needle bank and means to revolve said cammember, means to produce tuck stitches in the product of the machinewhile the product is in the process of manufacture, said meanscomprising a pair of superposed cam plates mounted in the cam member tomove parallel to the needles, a cam face on one edge of each cam platefor projection into the cam groove and engagement with the needle butts,a shaft mounted in the cam member to rotate about an axis which liesperpendicular to the direction of movement of the cam plates, cams onthe shaft engagin the cam plates to alter the positions thereof when theshaft is rotated, means on the shaft adjacent the cam member to rotatethe shaft, and stop fingers mounted. on the machine adjacent the cammember for movement into and out of the path of movement of the shaftrotating means as the later revolves with the cam member for engagingsaid shaft rotating means and rotating the shaft to alter the positionsof the cam plates.

long latches and long butt needles having regular latches, all saidneedles being mounted in said needle bank to move longitudinally thereofin circumferentially spaced parallel paths, a circular cam memberencircling said needle bank and movable in a. circular path transverselyof the needles, said cam member having a cam groove therein forreceiving the needle butts and moving said needles as the cam memberrevolves about the needle bank and means to revolve said cam member,means LO produce tuck stitches in the product of the machine while theproduct is in the process of manufacture, said means comprising a pairof superposed cam plates mounted in the cam member to move parallel tothe needles, a cam face on one edge of each cam plate for projectioninto the cam groove and engagement with the needle butts, a shaftmounted in the cam member to rotate about an axis which liesperpendicular to the direction of movement of the cam plates, cams onthe shaft engaging the cam plates to alter the positions thereof whenthe shaft is rotated, means on the shaft adjacent the cam member torotate the shaft, stop fingers mounted on the machine adjacent the cammember for movement into and out of the path of movement of the shaftrotating means as the latter revolves with the cam member for engagingsaid shaft rotating means and rotating the shaft to alter the positionsof the cam plates, springs connected to the machine and to the stopfingers for holding said fingers out of the path of movement of theshaft rotating means and means carried by the machine and having drivingconnection with the cam member revolving means periodically to advancethe fingers against the effort of the springs into the path of the shaftrotating means in timed relation to the revolutions of the cam member.

13. In a circular knitting machine of the type having a circular needlebank, short butt needles having regular latches, long butt needleshaving long latches and long butt needles having regular latches, allsaid needles being mounted in said needle bank to move longitudinallythereof in circumferentially spaced parallel pashs, a circularcam'member encircling said-needle bank and movable in a circularpath-transversely of the needles, said cam member having a cam groovetherein for receiving the needle butts and moving said needles as thecam member revolves about the needle bank and means to revolve said cammember, means to produce tuck stitches in the product of the machinewhile the product is in the process of manufacture, said meanscomprising a pair of superposed cam plates mounted in the cam member tomove parallel to the needles, a cam face on one edge of each cam platefor projection into the cam groove and engagement with the needle buts,a shaft mounted in the cam member to rotate about an axis which liesperpendicular to the direction of movement of the cam plates, cams onthe shaft engaging the cam plates L0 alter the positions thereof whenthe shaft is rotated, means on the shaft adjacent the cam member torotate the shaft, arms fixed to the shaft adjacent the cam member, saidarms projecting radially from said shaft and moving in a, circular pathconcentric with the cam member, stop fingers mounted on the machineadjacent the cam member to move radially with relation to said cammember in.o and out of the circular path of the arms as the latterrevolve with the cam member, yielding means to hold the fingers out ofthe circular path, and a plunger carried by the machine adjacent thefingers for moving the fingers against the effort of the yielding meansinto the circular path to cause an arm moving with the cam member torotate the shaft and alter the positions of the cam plates.

14. In a circular knitting machine of the type having a circular needlebank, short butt needles having regular latches, long butt needleshaving long latches and long butt needles having regular latches, allsaid needles being mounted in said needle bank to move longitudinallythereof in circumferentially spaced parallel paths, a circular cammember encircling said needle bank and movable in a circular pathtransversely of the needles, said cam member having a cam groove thereinfor receiving the needle butts and moving said needles as the cam memberrevolves about the needle bank and means to revolve said cam member,means to produce tuck stitches in the product of the machine while theproduct is in the process of manufacture, said means comprising a pairof superposed cam plates mounted in the cam member to move parallel tothe needles, a cam face on one edge of each cam plate for projectioninto the cam groove and engagement with the needle butts, a shaftmounted in the cam member to rotate about an axi which liesperpendicular to the direction of movement of the cam plates, cams onthe shaft engaging the cam plates to alter the positions thereof whenthe shaft is rotated, means on the shaft adjacent the cam member torotate the shaft, arms fixed to the shaft adjacent'the cam member, saidarms projecting radially from said shaft and moving in a circular pathconcentric with the cam member, stop fingers mounted on the ma- "camplates, and means carried by the machine adjacent the fingers and drivenby the cam member revolving means for engaging the fingers and movingthem into the circular path in timed relation to the operation of themachine.

JOHN N. GILBREATH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

Number 14 UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Wheeler June 5, 1906 AberleFeb. 5, 1907 Robinson Apr. 2, 1912

